RIDDLE-ICIOUS

Lewis (Black Swan/White Crow, 1995, etc.) offers 28 ""poems that hide/behind disguises"" and ""tickle you with/small surprises,"" each with a funny picture clue that makes most of the riddles easily guessed by preschoolers. There's plenty going on, in both text and pictures. For example, in the last riddle of the book, it's the night before Christmas, and not only are the creatures (a mouse and 13 cats) stirring, they're having a riot, playing catch with the Christmas balls, unraveling the stockings, and climbing the boughs upon which are superimposed words in the shape of a tree: I/stand/in water/and I needle/the cat. I get/spruced up in my/angel-hat. Tomorrow/morning there will be/something for you/un-/der-/neath me. Far superior to most riddle books in merit and for the visual humor in the colorful ink-and-watercolor illustrations.